The University of Belgrade’s Institute for Multidisciplinary Research invented an urban photo-bioreactor. Liquid 3 cleans the air and serves as a bench in the Belgrade city centre.

It’s a tank filled with microalgae, a solar panel on the top generates electricity for USB charging ports for citizens and a pump that pumps air into the tank where the algae process the CO² and produce Oxygen.

https://balkangreenenergynews.com/liquid-tree-to-combat-air-pollution-in-belgrade/

  • entropicshart@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    8 months ago

    Really cool! But the pessimist in me wonders how quickly this would be destroyed by random people who have no respect for public property.

    • Codex@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      8 months ago

      Just takes one angry teenager with a baseball bat or drunk moron with an automobile. I’d like to see the automotive crash test data on survivability of this water tank vs say, an oak tree.

    • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      8 months ago

      Also how well it would hold up in a cold snap. Would be fairly limited to warm climates I imagine but even warm climates get a few days of freezing temperatures occasionally.

  • AntiOutsideAktion [he/him]@hexbear.net
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    11
    ·
    8 months ago

    according to the article the tank must be connected to grid power to keep temperature, must be completely flushed out, cleaned and replaced every month, and is equivalent to one tree

    • PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      8 months ago

      Isn’t technology wonderful? Just imagine how many jobs this Liquid Tree® creates, compared to obsolete “trees.”

    • RiceMunk@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      ·
      8 months ago

      Can’t charge a phone using a tree.

      …well, unless we stick a solar panel + charging port on it, like with this thing.

      • gapbetweenus@feddit.de
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        8 months ago

        unless we stick a solar panel + charging port on it,

        Even as a joke, that seems cheaper and you need far less resources. My question was more about if it’s “clears” air better than just a tree.

    • Cort@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      8 months ago

      Even though microalgae are more efficient in binding carbon dioxide than regular plants, trees have a larger volume, and a higher density of biomass as our system involves a lot of water. That’s why one Liquid 3 can replace one adult tree regarding the capacity of binding carbon dioxide,” Spasojević said, reflecting on the first year of operation

      They also claim it’s better than trees with heavy metal tolerance & particulate matter

      • lps@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        8 months ago

        As someone who has a backyard pond, I can tell you algae is super resilient and essentially can’t be stopped. It even survives cold Canadian winters. I’m with you, it doesn’t need to replace trees, but it can be utilized for other purposes.

    • survivalmachine@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      It’s better at raising awareness because it’s weird and it’s a conversation starter.

      It’s better at being a bench.

      It’s a better windbreak.

  • GBU_28@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    8 months ago

    I think this is super cool for places trees don’t easily grow, like atriums and “walls” within public spaces, airports ,etc

  • Troy@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    8 months ago

    Cost per year of maintenance versus equivalent tree.

    Might make sense in a space colony. But only barely.

    • Halcyon@discuss.tchncs.deOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      The article says it: it’s not meant to replace trees.

      But it could be an option for places where a tree cannot be planted. If cities want to build street infrastructure, for example a shelter at a bus stop, then a microalgae CO2 filter and solar power could be integrated. Or tanks like this could be integrated into other architecture like in house walls.